Jazzy Wright Washington Hotline

ALA joins WiFi coalition the President will recognize and engage the ALA has joined WiFiForward, a new coali- power of libraries and librarians in connect- tion calling on policymakers to unleash ing communities and achieving the vision unlicensed spectrum for Wi-Fi and other for 21st-century education and a globally uses. Recent analyses indicate that Wi-Fi in competitive economy.” Later that month, ALA our homes, businesses, libraries, and schools responded to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s is becoming congested by a deluge of data e-rate speech, where he emphasized the from an increasing number of devices, ap- crucial role of libraries as the “community plications, and services connecting to the on-ramp to the world of information.” ALA Internet without wires. WifiForward is an ad staff have been in weekly contact with FCC hoc group of companies, organizations, and officials to advocate for ALA’s position, in- public sector institutions working to alleviate cluding multiple in-person meetings at FCC the Wi-Fi spectrum crunch. In addition to headquarters. ALA, members include the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition; ; ALA recognizes Rep. Holt’s leadership Comcast; ; Consumer Electronics We are sad to report that Representative Rush Association; and International Association Holt (D-New Jersey) announced his retire- of Venue Managers. ment from the U.S. House of Representatives in February, ending 16 years of service. ALA ALA, ARL, and EDUCAUSE re-engage expresses its deepest appreciation for the FCC on network neutrality distinguished work of Holt, a leader who In January, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled has worked tirelessly to support public, to strike down most of the Open Internet academic, and school libraries nationwide. Order, giving commercial companies the Holt introduced the Workforce Investments astounding legal authority to block Internet through Local Libraries Act to integrate librar- traffic, offer preferential treatment to certain ies into job training efforts. Holt has also Internet services or applications, and steer been a consistent supporter of the Library users to certain websites based on their Services and Technology Act, the only federal own commercial interests. In a letter sent to funding program exclusively for libraries. Chairman Tom Wheeler, ALA with ARL and EDUCAUSE, seek to work with the Federal ALA leads on privacy issues Communications Commission in developing In January, ALA President Barbara Stripling new policies that preserve network neutral- released a statement regarding a speech Presi- ity and incorporate the essential roles our dent made on the National institutions play in this area. Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program. In a statement, Stripling called for permanent E-rate advocacy continues changes to the NSA data collection program. In February, ALA responded to President Additionally, Stripling called for support for Obama’s speech on Internet access and the USA Freedom Act, a bill that will improve education (Obama did not mention librar- the balance between terrorism prevention ies). Emily Sheketoff, executive director of and personal privacy protection. In February, the ALA Washington Office, wrote: “We hope ALA participated in the Day We Fight Back, a day when thousands of websites hosted Jazzy Wright is press officer of the ALA Washington banners urging people to call Congress to Office, e-mail: [email protected] stop .

April 2014 215 C&RL News